Mr Cowe x Empire Customs

By Coco

It is without question that men love their suits. Wearing a suit gives men that same special feeling that many women wearing get when wearing their favorite little black dresses. What I love about wearing a suit, is the opportunity to show off your own style -from the shirt you pick, tie or bow tie, socks, shoes, cufflinks, and most importantly your jacket. We pay much more attention to our style than what people may think. Thankfully there are places like Empire Customs (Empire Customs) that understand the process, tailoring, and style of the perfectly made suit.

Visiting their luxurious boutique is something every guy should experience. Their by-appointment-only 2-floor boutique is located at 116 Fort York Blvd, in the heart of Toronto’s City Place neighborhood. They offer an amazing service oriented experience, offering complimentary drinks, bar cart service, cigars, all housed in their upstairs lounge area.

Empire Customs prides themselves on creating “a suit for your lifestyle and everywhere it takes you”. They’ve been in business since 2012 and have a great reputation so it’s with no surprise they hold an exclusive celeb clientele list including Toronto Raptors: Bismack Biyombo, Patrick Patterson, Cory Joseph, Bruno Caboclo, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Toronto Blue Jays players.

My appointment at Empire Customs was with Anna, who was absolutely amazing! We kicked things off with a consultation, where we got to know each other, my style and what type of suit and style I would be getting custom fitted. She said a big trend she’s seeing right now with custom suits, is a slim fit silhouette and a tapered pant that shows off more sock than usual – can you blame us? Who doesn’t love a good sock.

We started by looking at 100’s of colour/pattern swatches to pick out for my jacket and all it’s details, including style of lapel, interior lining, buttons, and stitching colour; it is safe to say I had a blast doing so. They offer so many fantastic options, it was hard to pick just one. Their fabrics come from award winning mills imported from Italy, Great Britain, Australia, and Ireland. They also offer an extensive variety of fabrics, such as wool cashmere blend, silk blend, and cotton blend (also known as flannel). I finally decided on a navy suit, as it’s perfect for the summer yet versatile for all year round. My favourite part was choosing the inside liner of my jacket. Anna mentioned surprisingly it’s a popular customization choice among many guys that come in. I really wanted something that had was unique and that was a bit of a glimpse into describing my style. I picked this multi-coloured geometric pattern that stood out as soon as I saw it. Instantly it reminded me of something you’d see Pharrell rocking down a red carpet.

Once we locked in all of the customization details, we began the measurement process. Empire Customs takes over 30 measurements to ensure the suit they craft fits you like a glove. I was amazed at the level of detail Anna took throughout the process.

I can’t wait to see my selections come to life and wear the suit! The entire process takes 4 weeks to produce. Empire Customs owns their own production house, so they are able to accept rush orders, and craft garments in as little as 2 weeks. Give them a call today and book your own consultation or for more info at 647.621.7299.